The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-09-07
SPECIAL MENTION.

SPECIAL MENTION
Judge Not This must not be understood
as forbidding the judgment of the msgis-
trate for he is by divine appointment re-
venger, to execute wrath on him that doeth
evil (Rom. 10: In. Nor rs forbiddng the
exercise Of judgment on offenders in the
church Il Cor. 5: IL, 49, Tim 5 10 2O).
Nor yet to forbid us, as individuals, from
forming such judgment of men as will en-
able us to decide on our conduct toward
them verse u; / Cor. V. IL; Eph. " IL; 2
Thess. 3 d; kom 10: 10. 1t refers to the
usurpation OF the divine prerogatlvo IN judy
ing and condemning those whom we have no
authority to judge tom ~; IN pronouncing
on matters which we are incapable of judy
ing Il Cor 4 3-5) and embraces along with
this that censorious spirit which loads TO un-
charitable Judgments, and TO meddhng with
the faults of others when our own are as
great or much greater (yerses l-5 Of the les
son; Rom =: 49,.
wad some power the giftie gie u.s.
To see oursels ms others see US
1t wad frae monte Il blunder free US,
And foolish notion.
Dogs and SDiRe. The Oriental dogs are
more savage than the Western, and gather
ing together into groups, they make their
meals mostly from garbage, being more dis
gushing IN their habits and appeara nee than
ours. Their characteristics we're brutality
and feroclty The dog was not, in Judea,
scavengers, but they lived i'll packs, without
particular ownership, and were apt to be
hateful and dangerous. They typlfy very
mean class of men phil 3: 2; Rev. %: 3D.
the snarllng, swapping, barking, hateful
spirits that feed on the errors and sins OF
others, and are happy only IN growing at
whatever Is better than themselves. Neither
dogs nor swine were favorites with the Jews
They were generally without masters or own
ers, being barely tolerated as scayengers.
"A wv NJ la arc fhfrQ 1a1
together as joint type Of all that was abhor-
rent In human character
SCRIPTURE TEACHING RESPECTING PRAYER
From the Bible we learn ID that God is
willing and able to answer prayer; (2) that
He usually waits an expression of desire on
the part of the suppliant 90 that he reserves
the right to modify the petition, or refuse it
altogether; az that IN so doing he plans for
the good of the petitioner, and therefore in
reality answers him; (5) that we are not ablo
now to sit in judgment upon God as to
whether he has or has not answered our
prayer; (6) that we may confidently believe
that true prayer is answered. For limitations
and conditions respecting prayer, see Ps. 66:
/ IS; 145: 10; Jer. ID: l; Eek. IA: l4-2l John
.: 81 James 4: 2 3; | John 81 81, %; ): IA.
! The Bible Golden Rule The Golden Rule,
though not without parallels in heather eth
les Tin negative form, is dis tnctively Chris
tan On 1t presents Gods benevolence as
the guide of duty. (2) Hence it is positive
! edo all tho good you can to your neighbor"),
not negative ("Do not to your neighbor what
Is odous 10 you, for this is the whole law" as
in Confucius). (D 1t Is taught by One who
! wrought as well as taught righteousness, who
died that we might even so do also. 1t is
! equivalent to "Love thy neighbor as myself"
! it equals the whole law. The rule does not
require us TO do the things which they ask, but
! to act toward them in the manner and spirit
in which we should wish them TO act toward
US This rule works in two ways; while di-
rectly ii requires us TO act toward others as
we should wish them to act toward us, in
spirit and implication 1t requires US to wish
| from others no more than we should be willing
to render TO them if our positions were re-
versed. (Abbott)
CoNNECTISd LINKS.
Commentators have found much difficulty
IN tracing the connection between these
verses and the preceding. Yet IL ls remark
able that these very verses are included also
/ III st Lukes account of the same discourse
! g.: 81, IS, Al, 42) and are thus clearly shown
TO belong to 1t In St Luke, however, they
| are introduced immediately after the verses
which correspond to the conclusion of chap.
s. the whole Of chap being omitted; and
this circumstance may perhaps furnish key
TO the connection. Chap. o, we have seen
to be connected with the mention of the
righteousness of the Scrbes and Pharisees
/ Verse 2O) The present verses have q SIM
liar connection. Ii both, the hypocrisy Of
the Scribes and Pharisees is censured, first
a. regards their judgment Of Others as COM
/
St Matthew gives both instances St Luke
omits the first, and narrates the second in
logical connection, though not in its actual
place in the discourse Canon Cook.)
CRITICISM AND EXPLANATION
VS.. J. = Jud9e not See Special Mention.
That ye be not judged. BY other men and by
God See Luke q: 81; Rom. ?: /; IA: 8, 4, ID,
ID; l Cor. 4: 3 3; JAS. i: IL, II For Ex-
pandlng and emphasizing the principle just
announced. What judgment Both as to
unto yoH The repetition of the thought
under different figure, shows its importance.
The whole passage may be used to show /.
That good men should guard against the per-
version of the judicial faculty on all ques-
tons. =. That specially on personal ques-
tons the judicial faculty should be purified
and restrained CONSIDER the sacredness Of
| reputation, the consequences involved, etc J.
3. That personal judgments provoke repri-
sails, and reprlsals often engender unhoy de-
sires for victory, etc. The consciousness
of our own imperfections should moderate
our personal Judgments. (Parker)
VS.. 3d. Note A straw or splinter, indi-
eating small sin. Beam. large stick of
timber, and symbol Of great sin. There il
a corresponding difference between "behodest"
and "considerest" XoW 1CW thou That is,
how were you, or how can you consistently,
since your fault is so much the greater.
Hypocrite Pretending to be teacher and
| reiormer when III reality he is ignorant and
sinful Or, pretending sympathy and pity for
the misfortunes of others, when in fact no is
cruelty parading them Cast ont first the
beam. Manifestly the first duty OF this kind
is to ourself. He must correct his own evils
before he IL able or at liberty to criicise
others
| EED-TRUTHs AND GERM-THoUGHTs.
| l. The dlfiiculty-and danger Of impugning
the motives of others ". ~
.. We reap in kind that which we SOW " q
3. There Is one person we cannot judge too
often severely-that is self.
4. We should put ourselves In another's
place before we pass judgment upon him.
Holy things should be accepted as trust to
be carefully guarded w. y.
There are times when silence and inaction
are the truest service w. o.
III there Is real desire for salvation, there
will be earnest, persistent search for il ". ,.
In spiritual things each gets what he desires
and seeks for ". -.
Others will treat US very much as we treat
| them.
We may be positively certain that God will
answer every real and right petition.
Lesson for Sept is. solemn Warnings
Matt Z: l3 20
THOSE who have lost an infant are
never, as it were, without an infant